The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-05-26
FARM TOPICS FOR THE MONTH.
Suggestions to Farmers who Wish to Make
Farming Profitable,

A distinguished poet has made n GER
tain young lady quite famous by having
her on particular occasion to sing:
III you're waking, call me early, call me
early, mother dear;
For I'm to be Queen O. May, mother
I'm to be Queen O. the May"
There is not much poetry, and even
less romance, about it; but all the same
the farmer has to be called early and to
stay late ut his farm work for the next
three months if he has any hope or ex-
Pectatlon Of succeeding at his calling.
we know OF no task-master more exact
ing and uncompromising than the aver
age cotton and corn crop. Worked prop
erly and tho husbandman will reap bis
reward just as long as the rainbow hangs
IN the heavens or the promise of seed
time and harvest remain; mismanaged
and poorly executed work, and disap-
early and properly executed work on
the crop, to many people, seems, as far
as oil outward appearances go, as being
quite simple and easy, and they put this
down as one of things about farm life
that they are very familiar with, and that
they thoroughly understand.
When to strike, how to strike, and
where to strike is the veni, vidi, vici of
the farmer, and in our jud gmept it is the
Keystone to success or of failure; it is
the dividing line between the clodhopper
and the intelligent farmer. You may
well call this month the middle station
III the year S work. The crops are all
planted and cultivation is about to begin
If the preparation and planting has been
thoroughly done; then the most trouble
some half of making crop is over with.
The army is in the field; the ammuni-
milton is all distributed; the guns are
numbered, and if the General handles
the troops advantageously victory is as
sured; II he does not, General Green
will possess the land; he will come, he
will see, and he will conquer.
suppose you were to see so-called
planter giving one of his tenants pack
age Of calomel, opium, quinine and q
lancet-the four great agents in physic-
telling him at the same time to 20 down
and see what he could do for a sick
nelghbor; if the sick man died, would
you say the medicine failed?
we see, year by year, owners of the
soil giving mon they call tenants land,
mules, ploughs, guano, tools and seeds,
ana saying go down into my farm or
plantation, and when L come again have
my rent ready.
When you consider this matter in
all seriousness and candor, are YOU SUR
prlsed that the patient-the land-is
KILLED, and this false tenantry system has
thousands and thousands of acres
of Southern land?
a man who proposed to go to dis
tant State to oversee went to Mr.. Dick
son and asked for n receipt to farm. He
replied: cit is hard to transfer knowl-
edge, and much harder to transfer art
ana Judgment; my plan is to follow the
laws thut govern the universe. Plants
a id animals, when assisted with art and
never will fail. This is the
science of agriculture. Study bad prac-
tlco as we'll as good, and learn of the
latter the errors, that you may avoid
them. Rcad books until you become
SO perfect in theory and in the use of
tools and manure that you will have
and the nerve to act and act
ut once-not lose time running about to
your nelghbors to see when to do thing
and how to do it. Do not allow frost or
wet or dry weather TO cause you to
doubt or daily. Fortify yourself with
books before you begin; such books as
Will teach you everything necessary to
your success, and do not forget that you
can learn something from almost every
profession. Book farming means for
the farmer Just what book learning does
Tor the lawyer, merchant or physician.
You must read and study, not only agri-
cultural books, but all books that will
apply In any way to that profession.
You need the knowledge of general to
enable you to discipline your laborers to
como to time, to move aQ at once, TO
know when to charge and when to re-
treat. You need the knowledge Of
banker, when your money is made to
know how to invest it. You want the
knowledge of q bookkeeper, that you
may keep your accounts correctly. In
this many farmers fail; they fool them
selves, not knowing how to keep debtor
and creditor accounts, get in debt and
become bankrupts before they are aware
of it, You must have somo knowledge
of mechanics and machinery in order to
use them. If the farmer is ignorant,
how can he instruct the laborer? You
should have even q sufficient knowledge
OF law to know how to keep out of the
courts. You should have some knowl-
edge of commerce and trade, for you
have to buy and sell,
elbow is all this to be acquired? BY
reading and hard study, and making an
application of the knowledge acquired.
knowledge is power in agriculture as
well as other things. And how are You
to get knowledge? Only by reading,
study and application. With knowledge
yoU can use the hand rs well as the
tongue more effectively.
"Ihe three great essentials are: First.
The theory (true plan) of farming.
Second. The art of controlling labor and
executing all work to the best advantage
with least labor. Third Last and best,
success depends on quick perception,
wise judgment that seldom or never errs.
How is this to be acquired, except by
use Of books in conjunction with prac
ice?
'In conclusion, to succeed you not
only must be superior to your faborers,
but you must be SO far ahead of them
that they shall know that your plans are
wise, easy to put in practice and certain
of success. Then they will follow you
IN q charge, as good soldiers will the best
of General The laborcr must have con-
f,1nnon II, 4l,c